Julian Lage: World’s Fair

Richard Gehr on September 21, 2015

Released in February, Julian Lage’s World’s Fair deserves a lot more attention than it has received. The acoustic guitarist’s solo debut feels both intimate and monumental. Performing on a vintage Martin, the 27-year-old former child prodigy plays a dozen tunes—10 originals alongside Rodgers and Hart’s “Where Or When” and the folk song “Red Prairie Dawn”—with a casual mastery that emphasizes melody and touch over virtuosity. Taking Segovia as his model, Lage transforms his guitar into a “symphonic” source of power and pleasure. Apart from a couple of dazzlers like “Missouri” and “Double Stops,” the music’s austerity magnifies its grandeur.